Belgian concrete company fills gap in concrete market with unique 2.4M prestressed floor elements

To expand its offering, it later applied itself to prestressed vaults with an exclusive width of 2.4 m, with the help of Echo Precast Engineering.

A gap (of 2.4 m) in the market

The demand for prestressed hollow-core slabs continues to rise and construction sites must be delivered faster and faster. Based on this market fact, MD Beton went in search of an innovative product that could provide added value. As both an innovator and a maverick in the industry, MD Beton had no desire to become just another producer of 1.2 m wide floor slabs. In collaboration with Echo Precast Engineering, they succeeded in developing a S-liner® T40 sliding formwork machine that allows for a width of 2.4 m. A simple and ingenious idea, but above all a strong example of future and market-oriented thinking.

The product caught on immediately, partly due to the fact that increasingly large precast elements are being used on construction sites. For now, MD Beton is the only producer in the Benelux of prestressed vaults of this width. Demand for these vaults also continues to rise sharply from other European countries. After all, they make it possible to work much faster. Moreover, MD Beton's existing infrastructure allowed a switch to this greater width.

Finished prestressed vaults.

Quality as the main driver

A thorough sense of quality also contributes to the success of MD Beton vaults. Thanks to this attitude, MD Beton has become the market leader in Belgium for pre-stressed walls. It now occupies a prominent and enviable position in the field of vaulting. Peter Mylle, co-manager of MD Beton: "We are appreciated by our customers for our floor slabs and other concrete products that are just that little bit better, more precise and smoother than the rest. We think proactively with our customers and always look for a solution that meets their needs and allows us to respond quickly to their demands. Our production of prestressed vaults allows thicknesses up to 40 cm and lengths up to 14 m."

The role of Echo Precast Engineering

The cooperation between MD Beton and Echo Precast Engineering dates back to the early 1990s and is based on mutual respect. MD Beton particularly praises the solution-oriented attitude and short lines of communication at Echo Precast Engineering. Echo Precast was founded in 1990 and joined the Progress Group, the world's largest provider of machinery for the precast concrete industry, in 2012. The group's headquarters are located in Brixen in South Tyrol, Italy. Echo Precast Engineering is the only company in Belgium that designs and builds sliding formwork machines, extruders and sawing machines for the concrete sector.

The Slipformer S-Liner® T40.

Echo Precast Engineering enjoys working with customers who know what they want, like MD Concrete. Thanks to persistent, productive feedback from MD Beton and close mutual consultation, Echo Precast Engineering succeeded perfectly in converting MD Beton's existing infrastructure and constructing the right slipformer to produce the prestressed vaults at 2.4 m width. The whole phase, from design to installation and commissioning of the S-liner® slipformer in Mouscron took only about six months. The Slipformer S-Liner® T40 is particularly economical in the consumption of (dry) concrete, making it a very cost-efficient machine. Moreover, the machine is easy to use and maintain.

Future plans

MD Beton's current site in Mouscron covers some 4.5 ha, of which 1 ha is overbuilt. Work is currently underway to expand the production capacity in order to be able to meet the strongly increasing demand from all over Europe for wide vaults. The collaboration between MD Beton and Echo Precast Engineering is thus consolidated for the future.